An All-American on the field and world champion in the ring
BOULDER — Former University of Colorado All-American offensive lineman Leon White, who went on to become a world famous professional wrestler, passed away Monday evening from complications due to pneumonia, his family announced. He was 63.
White, who attended CU from 1973 to 1977, eventually succumbed to heart failure after having open heart surgery in March and then battling a severe case of pneumonia since. After beginning what would be a 30-plus year career in wrestling as the "Baby Bull," he would first become a star in the sport in Japan under the name of "Big Van Vader" and then world-wide (Vader would become more commonplace).